Mode cooperation in two-dimensional plasmonic distributed-feedback laser

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of a two-dimensional plasmonic distributed-feedback laser, revealing a new mode cooperation effect that influences lasing thresholds and radiation pattern control, with implications for nanoscale optoelectronic applications.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of mode cooperation in 2D plasmonic lasers, showing how mode interactions affect lasing behavior and radiation pattern control.

Findings

Mode cooperation leads to generation of modes with high thresholds.

Suppression of edge modes widens the radiation pattern.

Complex mode structure impacts laser threshold and emission properties.

Abstract

Plasmonic distributed-feedback lasers based on a two-dimensional periodic array of metallic nanostructures are the main candidate for nanoscale sources of coherent electromagnetic field. Strong localization of the electromagnetic field and the large radiation surface are good opportunities for achieving an ultrashort response time to the external actions and creating beam directionality. At the same time, the investigation of such a system is a challenging problem. In this paper, we present an exhaustive study of the operation of a two-dimensional plasmonic distributed-feedback laser. We show that the complex structure of the modes of a periodic plasmonic array and the nonlinear interaction between the modes through the active medium lead to a new effect, namely, mode cooperation. Mode cooperation is manifested as the generation of the modes in an allowed band with a high threshold instead of modes localized near the band gap with a low threshold. Suppression of lasing of the modes at the edge of the band gap results in widening of the radiation pattern above the generation threshold. This paves the way for effective control and manipulation of the radiation pattern of nanoscale systems, which is of great importance for applications in spectroscopy and optoelectronics.